At DHS, the future is mobile

Dec. 9, 2013 - 06:00AM
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The Department of Homeland Security is finalizing a comprehensive plan that places mobility at the forefront of agency operations.

Keith Trippie, executive director for the Department of Homeland Security’s Enterprise System Development Office, said Monday the agency is embracing mobility to help foster communication with stakeholders and provide better services to DHS customers and components.

The agency is working to make sure security and privacy are built into all of its mobile products and has developed a code “car wash” for mobile apps to help developers make more secure mobile applications and programs, Trippie said at GovDelivery’s annual Digital Communication Event in Washington.

He added that people are doing more with their mobile devices — from personal shopping to managing a business — and they expect the same form the federal government.

“We want to skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it is,” Trippie said.

The move toward mobile will also come at the same time as the agency shifts from owning IT infrastructure to using cloud services.

He said the agency hopes to create a single “ubiquitous” IT platform that would allow the agency to upgrade and enhance its services and offerings without extensive development.

DHS is building a web interface allowing federal managers to purchase security-enabled and vetted cloud computing services using a simple interface to help spur development and quick turnaround of services, according to Trippie.